Timing apparatus



Allg. 27, 1940. R STEENECK 2,212,961

TIMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l sTA R1- RESET FIG. l4

lNVENTOR R 'STEENECK Aug. 27, 1940. R STEENECK 2,212,961

vTIMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 if. y' I f im! Il* /h jI 1' HIM i '1f' 12 FIG2 Aug. 27, 1940. R. sTEENEcK 2,212,961

TIMING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY @4wd/, ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMING APPARATUS Application October 2, 1937, Serial No. 166,981

14 Claims.

This invention relates primarily totiming apparatus and more particularly to apparatus of this nature adapted for use in timing athletic games or contests of skill and endurance, such as 5 4for example, some of the events of a rodeo and like events.

In certain athletic events or contests, such as for example those wherein the winner or vietor is the contestant able to perform a certain feat in the shortest length of time or en-dure certain hardships for a predetermined length of time, it is desirous that these times be determined with the maximum possible accuracy. The acr curacy of the timing is especially important where the contestants perform one after the other' and each must be separately timed and the winner determined from these separate times.

Such a condition prevails in the riding event of a rodeo where the rider able to properly ride certain horses the longest time is the winner.

Heretofore, these timing operations were usually performed by one or more timekeepers using stop-watches or like instruments, the results usually being manually posted on a board or announced for the benefit of the contestants and spectators. Obviously, such methods had many disadvantages likely to result in inaccuracies and also the spectators were unaware of the progress of the offical time during the event they were witnessing and it was not known to them until after the termination of the event.

It is, therefore, the general object of this invention to provide a large dial clock, or a plurality thereof operating in synchronism, visible to the spectators of an event and contr'olled by an oflicial timekeeper, which is particularly adapted for use in timing events or contests such as those present in a rodeo.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clock of the above type, the hand or hands of which may be quickly reset to the Zer'o or starting position.

These and other more specific objects of the invention defined by the terms of the appended claims will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

In large dial clocks wherein the hand or hands are driven through gear trains comprising several gears, there is likely to be considerable play or lost motion between the driving source and the hand. or hands. Such a condition is particularly noticeable at the starting of the clock.

I Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided means normally tendl55l ing to rotate the hand of the clock in a reverse direction whereby the play and lost motion in the gears is eliminated at the hand of the clock. Means is provided for resetting the hand of the clock by rotating the same in a reverse direction at a comparatively high rate of speed, to a position slightly ahead of the zero position, relative to the normal direction of rotation, and then rotating the hand at its normal speed of rotation to the zero position, at which point it is automatically brought to rest.

Another feature of the invention is the employment of a planetary gear system in driving the hand of the clock in one direction and returning the hand of the clock to a Zero position at a higher rate of speed by releasing one member of the planetary gear system.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention a constantly rotating synchronous motor is employed for furnishing the driving force of the clock. A planetary gear system and a reduction gear box is employed to rotate the clock hand at the desired speed. An electromagnetic clutch operable from a remote point couples and uncouples a motor to the clock hand. The reset oi the clock hand to a normal position is controlled from a reset switch and its operation causes the release of a member of the planetary gear system enabling the hand to rotate in a reverse direction at a high rate of speed. On the reset peration the hand is rotated a slight amount past the zero position and then at its normal speed t0 the zer'o position Where it is automatically stopped ready for the release in timing the next event.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed de` scription thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the clock face or dial indicating device controlled by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the driving and control mechanism of the clock;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View of the electrical circuits and the relationship of certain of the mechanical parts and the controls therefor employed in the clock.

Referring rst to Fig. 1 which shows an elevational view of the clock face II preferably employed with this invention, a single hand I2 is adapted to rotate about a point at the center of the clock face. The clock face II is divided into sixty divisions such as I3 and the end of the hand I2 cooperates therewith to indicate elapsed time, as `will be hereinafter described. The clock face Hand hand I2 are preferablyof such a size as to be clearly visible to all the spectators and players, but where this is impracticable, a plurality of adjacent or remotely disposed clock faces may be employed, the indicating elements being operated by a common means, or remotely disposed means operating ink unison and controlled from the common means, as will be ap-` parent from the following description. y

A horizontal base or mounting plate I4, Fig. 2, has mounted at the rear thereof a constantly rotating motor M which maybe a synchronous motor driven from a' well regulated alternating current supply or any other type motor operated at a substantially constant speed by governors or speed controlling devices well known in the art. A worm vgear I6 attached to one end of the motor shaft meshes with another gear I1 located directly therebelow. The gear I1 is fixed for rotation therewithby a'set screw I6 to a shaft I 9, the shaft I9 being suitably 'pivoted at one end in a post 2I and at the other end in a gear box 22. Also xed to the shaft I9 for rotation therewith by a setscrew 23is a collar 24 which comprises a driving member of an electromagnetically controlled 'grab clutch of the type well known in the art and vindicated in general by reference numeral 25, Figs. 2 and 4. 'The driven member of the grab clutch 25 comprises a flanged sleeve 26 loosely mounted on the shaft I9 with teeth thereupon in operative' relation with similar teeth on the driving member 24. The sleeve 26 is at all times' operatively engaged with another sleeve '21 free' on the shaft I9, by means of interengaging tongues and grooves 28. A spring 29 coiled about the tongues and grooves of the sleeves 26 and 21 normally tends to slide lthe Vsleeve 26 to the right, as `shown in Fig. 4, to bring its teeth into Vengagement kwith the teeth on the constantly rotating collar 24. However, the upper end of a lever 3l normally engages a side cam surface 36 on the sleeve 26 to hold it to the left and its teeth out of engagement' with the teeth on thecollar 24. The lever 3| is pivotally mounted at its lower end on a rod 32 and has fixed thereto an armature 33. The armature 33 is in operative relation with the pole piecesv of a so-called clutch magnet 34. When the magnet 34 is energized, the lever 3l is caused to pivot and withdraw 4the rupper end thereof from nout of engagement with the side cam surface` 36 of the sleeve 26,v Fig. 5,'whereupon the spring 29 slides the sleeve 26 to the right, Fig. 4,"engagi'ng its teeth with the teeth of the collar 24 and thus the sleeves 26 and 21 rotate with the shaft I9. When the magnet 34 is deenergized, the upperl end of the lever 3l falls back upon the sleeve 26 in the path of the side cam 'surface 36 and as the sleeve 26 continues to rotatethe upper end of the lever 3l and the sideY cam surface3'6 engage and cam the sleeve to the left. This c ausesithev disengagement of the teeth thereon with the teeth on the collar 24 and a further projectionof the side cam surface at right angles to vthe direction of rotation of YtheY sleeve then engages the top of the lever 3| and brings thesleeve-to rest in a normal stop position. In thi's'mannerthe clutch or less.

magnet 34 controls the operation of the clutch 25.

A cam-shaped flange 36, Fig. 5, on the sleeve 21 has in engagement with the periphery thereof a cam follower 31. The cam follower 31 is mounted at the right end of a lever 38 pivoted at its center on aishoulder screw 39 extending horizontally from a plate 4I attached to the side of the gear box 22. A spring 42 `holdsthe cam follower 31 in engagement with thecam 36, and the two elements 31 and 36 cooperate with one another to prevent rotation of the sleeve 21 in a reverse direction due to its sudden stop by the lever 3I.

The sleeve 21 comprises the input member to the gear box 22 and the shaft 43, Figs. 2 and 4, the output member thereof. The gears I6 and I1, and the speed of the motor are so arranged that the shaft I9 rotates at a speed of 300 R. P. M., and as the clutch 25 is capable of stopping the lsleeve 21 during any revolution thereof, the clock 'mechanism hereinafter described can be stopped in a time interval equal to one-fifth of a second The, gear box 22 is capableof a speed reduction of twenty-five to Unef-fand therefore,

the shaft 43 is capable of rotatingat a speed of l2 R. P. M. The forward end of the shaft 43 is pivotally supported in a sleeve'44 which inV turn is pivotally supported in a bearmgblo'ck 46 attached to the forward end of the base plate I4.

The hand I2 is attached to the forward end of' for rotation together by pins, such as 53, andi-40 each pair of gears 5I and 52 is loosely mounted on associated studs 54. "The studs 54 are parallel to the shaft 43 and are carried by a collar 56 loosely mounted on the shaft 43. The gears 52 have twenty teeth thereonY and each-meshes'l45 with another gear 51 having forty teeth which is loosely mounted on the shaft 43. Pinned .tothe gear 51 by pins such as- 58 for rotation therewith is a'twenty-fo-ur tooth gear 59 also loosely mounted on the shaft 43. The gear59'meshesf' with thirty-six tooth gears 6I loosely mounted at the left hand end of the vstuds 54 which in turnmesh with a ninety-six tooth sun gear 62.

' The sun gear 62 is attachedY by screws l63 to the ange 64 forming a part ofthe sleeve 44.` Asif apparent to those versed in the art fromlthe size of the gears described comprising the planetary unit and their arrangement, it is evident that by holding the collar 56 stationary, as hereinafter described, and rotating the shaft 43 at a:

speed of 12 R. P. the sleeve 44 wil1 rotate at a speed of l R. P. M. in an opposite direction. As viewed from the facev of the block the shaft 43 is adapted to rotate at a speedy of l2 R. P. M.

in a counter-clockwise direction, and the sleevei 44 at a speed of 1 R. P. M. in a1 clockwise direction, although it will be apparent that this particular speed differential is not essential to the invention.

Attached by screws, 4such as 66, to the shaft 43 `for rotation therewith, at the right of the planetary gear unit '41, Fig. 4, is a flanged `collar 61. A plate 68 slidably mounted on the shaft 43 is adapted to rotate withthe collar 61 by means of interengaging 'tonguel and grooves"10" Fig. 1. A' coiled spring 69 between a flange on the collar 61 and the plate 68 exerts an axial force on the plate 68 to keep it and a friction disc 1|, such as a felt washer, in frictional engagement with the right hand face of the collar 56, thereby tending to rotate the collar '5 with the shaft 43 for purposes hereinafter apparent. However, the collar 56 is normally held from rotation as hereinafter described. Attached to the forward end of the shaft 43 for rotation therewith is a collar l2 adjacent a collar 'I3 slidably mounted on the shaft and operatively associated therewith by means of interengaging tongues and grooves 75. A coiled spring 'I4 disposed between flanges on the two collars 'i2 and 'i3 holds a friction element, such as 16, Fig. 4, against a plate Ti which, together with the hand l2, is fixed by screws, such as 18, for rotation therewith to the front end of the sleeve 44. Thus the hand tends to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction with the shaft 43. The primary purpose of the friction element i5 is to put a slight load on the hand l2 to prevent it from vibrating or jumping due to play or lost motion in the gears. Attached by screws, such as '19, Figs, 4 and 6, is a ring 8i which has in the periphery thereof a series of notches such as 82. Normally engaged in one of the notches oi the ring 8l is the upper horizontal end 83 of a lever 84. The lever 84 is pivoted at its lower end on a pin 86 and is adapted to be pivoted within certain limits by a reset magnet 8T. With the end of the lever 84 engaged in a notch in the ring 8i, the collar 5t is held from rotation, and for such condition, as hereinbefore described, the hand l2 will rotate in a clockwise direction at a speed of 1 R. P. M. when the clutch 2 5 is operated.

The manner in which the clock is controlled by the timekeeper or official will now be described, Referring to Fig. '7, four switches, viz., a ten second switch 88, an eight second switch 89, a start switch 9i and a reset switch 92, all having a normal unoperated position to the left and op` erated positions to the right, control all fund Iii tions of the clock. Let it be assumed that the clock hand l2 is in its normal zero position and it is desired to time an event of some unpredeter- `mined length such as for example a race. At the Astart of the event the timekeeper operates the tongues of the start switch 9i to the right, which operation connects a ground through the right hand tongue of the start switch over a conducltor 93 and through the coil of the clutch mag- .net 34 to battery. This causes the energization oi" the clutch magnet 34 and the operation of the clutch 25 whereupon the hand l2 commences to rotate at a speed of 1 R.. P. M. as hereinbefore described and continues to do so as long as the the event. Thus a continuous event is timed and it is evident from the circuitsy that in timing an event likely to have rest or time-out periods therein, the operation of the switch 9i to a normal position halts the progress of the hand i?.

during the time-out periods.

vvAssume that the clock hand is in its normal zero position and it is desired to indicate the yelapse of a predetermined length of time such as an eight or ten second interval. For such a condition the timekeeper operates either one or the other of the switches 88 or 89 to the right, which operation completes a circuit from ground at the right hand tongue of a normally unoperated relay 94, over a conductor 96, through the center tongue oi the operated one of the switches 88 or 89, over conductor 93 and through the coil of the clutch magnet 34 to battery. This circuit causes the operation of the clutch 25 and initiates the rotation of the clock in the same manner as the operation of the start switch 9| and the manner in which an eight second or ten second interval is terminated and indicated by the clock will now be described. Attached to the collar 54 by the screw 63 are two Contact actuating members 97 and 98, Figs. 2 and 3. These members 9'! and 98 are in operative alignment with associated contacts 99 and IDI, respectively, and as the collar 64 rotates predetermined amounts the contacts 99 and 19| are closed. The collar G4 and the hand i2 as hereinbefore described, rotate together and the contact actuating members 97 and 98 are so arranged as to close their associated contacts 99 and lill when the hand l2 has rotated eight and ten seconds from its normal zero position. If the eight second switch 89 was moved to the right to initiate the operation of the clock, then after the clock has been in operation eight seconds, the member 98 closes the contact lOl. This completes a circuit from ground at the contact ll, Fig. 7, over conductor lili. through the right hand tongue of switch 89, over a conductor H33 and thence through the coil of the relay 94 to battery. This causes the energization of the relay 94 whereupon its right hand tongue opens the circuit hereinbefore described to the clutch magnet 34 to cause the deenergization of the clutch magnet 34 and stop the operation of the clock. The energization of the relay 94 also causes its left hand tongue to complete a circuit from battery to an alarm or signalling mechanism such as H34, to ground, which thereupon operates and signals the contestants and spectators the termination of an eight second interval. Normally the alarm |94 continues to operate until the operated switch 89 is returned to its normal left hand position. In the same manner a ten second interval may be indicated by closing the ten second switch 88. Obviously, with the embodiment shown any interval up to one minute could be indicated by changing the location of the contacting members such as 97 and 98 relative to their associated contacts, 99 and lill.

The manner in which the clock hand l2 is returned -or reset from some intermediate point to its zero or normal position will now be described. This function is controlled by the reset switch 92 and with the clock hand in any position other than its normal position and with the switches 89, B9 and Si `all to the left, the operation of the switch 92 completes the following circuits; first, from ground at the left hand tongue of the switch 83, through the left hand tongue of the switch 89, through the left hand tongue of switch 9i, switch 92, over a conductor i965 and through the coil of the reset magnet 8'! to battery; second, through the switches 88, 89, 9i and 92 as described over conductor 98, through the coil of a relay 99 and thence through one or the other or both of contacts IH and i12 connected in parallel to battery. The ground for the reset switch S2 passes through the switches 88, 89 and 9! so as to prevent a reset operation with any of these switches in an operated position for obvious reasons. These circuits cause vbase plate l'..

theenergiZatio-n of the magnet 8l and the relay lawhich are locked in their energized position by the ground at the tongue of relay 88. As t .e

-magnet 8l 4operates to withdraw the end of the lever @4i from a notch in the disc 8|, a projection ||3` on the lever. Sii causes a .contact il@ to be closed. One side of the contact lit is grounded and its closing lapplies ground over a conductor Hthrough the clutch magnet 31S to battery, causing the clutch 25 to operate.

As heretofore described, the operation of the clutch causes the shaft 43 to rotate at a speed of k12 R. P. M. and with the end 83 of the lever 8 not engaged in a notch 82 in the disc 8|, the complete planetary unit il and the hand |2v is allowed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction with the shaft i3 through the action of the friction members 'il and 18, hereinbefore described. The planetary unit di and the hand l2 will continueto rotate in a counterclockwise direction withthe shaft Gto bring a lug i il, Figs. 2, 3 and 7, secured to the collar 6i, into engagement with a horizontal arm of a bell 'crank H8. The bell `crank I|8 is pivotally supported on a pivot rod H9 in a bracket i2! suitably supported from the The lug H1 engaging the bell crank |18 causes it to pivot and the depending arm |22 thereof closes a contact 123 and opens the contact Hi. The closing of the contact |23 maintains a ground to the clutch magnet 34 to maintain the clutch operated for reasons hereinafter apparent.y After the lug lll has pivoted the bell crank H8 a predetermined amount, the horizontal arm thereof engages the bracket i2! to stop further pivoting thereof, which in turn prevents further rotation of the collar Sli and the hand l2, and at such a time the hand |2 is slightly ahead of its zero rest position at approximately the position indicated by the dot-dashed outline thereof in Fig. 1. However, the collar t and disc 8| of the planetary unit continue to rotatev with the shaft i3 until stopped as hereinafter described. A series of pi or auch as i213, arranged around the periphery of the collar 56 cooperates with the tongue of the contact ||2 to open the contact only when the upper end of the lever 8d is approximately at the midpoint between two adjacent notches 82 of the disc 8|. If the bell crank ||8 happens to open the contact l il! at the same time one of the screws opens the contact H2, the circuit to the relay |89 will be opened which in turn opens the circuit to the reset magnet 3'?. Thereupon the lever Sli will be released and the upper end thereof engages the periphery of the disc Si at approximately the midpoint between two adjacent notches 82. The deenergization of the relay itt and the magnet 87 at this time does not break the circuit to the clutch magnet Si as this circuit is maintained through the closed contact |23. Therefore, the disc 8| continues to rotate with the shaft 83 until the end of the lever 8S drops in a notch 82 in the disc 8|. As hereinbefore described with the disc 8| held from rotating by the lever 8&1 and the clutch 25 operated, the collar E@ and the hand i2 will rotate in a clockwise direction at a speed of 1 R. P. M. This condition continues until the lug rotating with the collar Sii allows the bell crank i8 to pivot to its normal position and the contact |23 open the circuit to the clutch magnet 38 which stops the clock with the hand l2 in eX- actly its Zero or normal stop position. When the contact |12 is not open at the time the bell crank l I8 opens contact Iii, the reset magnet 87 is `maintained energized until the end of the lever 8d isbetween two` notches in the disc 8| Whereupon one of the screws |24 causes contact ||2 to open. .'I'his, as described, allows the end of the lever 84 to engage the periphery of the disc 8| and enter the neXt notch 82. In this manner the contact |I2 prevents the reset magnet 87 from being deenergized at any time other than when the end of the lever Sli is between two notches on the disc 3|. Otherwise a slight bounce of the lug H1 when engaging the bell crank I|8 would be likely to permit the end of the lever 84 to stop the disc 8| and the clutch magnet to become deenergized all at the same time. This would be likely to result in the clock being stopped with the hand l2 in some other than its true Zero position. It has'been found that with the clutch such as 25 capable of operating in one-fth of a second, and with twenty-live notches in a disc 8|, the hand l2 will 'always be brought to rest in its true Zero position. By rotating the hand of the clock a few degrees toa position ahead of its normal Zero position and then rotating it at its normal speed of rotation to the zero position, as described, all the play and lost motion in the gears may be taken up. Therefore, when the clock is again started, no time will be consumed in taking up the play in the gears.

Although the clock is designed primarily for timing and indicating events and intervals of one minute or less, it is obvious that with events of greater length the hand i2 will make more than one complete revolution. The spectators can easily remember the number of revolutions of the hand in timing events up to about three minutes but for events of greater length another hand rotatable at the proper speed or a dial indicator could easily be provided to indicate the number of minutes or revolutions of the hand l2 which would be reset at the same time.

It is obvious, of course, that various other modications of the apparatus shown and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed bythe prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timing apparatus for measuring variable time intervals, a movable time measuring indicator having a normal position, means for moving said indicator from said normal position in one direction at a predetermined time measuring speed to an off-normal position, means for moving said indicator from said oir-normal position in the opposite direction and at a second predetermined speed through said normal position to a predetermined position in advance of said normal position, means for halting said indicator in said predetermined position for at least a predetermined length of time, means for moving said indicator from said predetermined advanced position at said time measuring speed and direction to said normal position, and means for stopping said indicator in said normal position.

2. In a timing apparatus for measuring variable time intervals, a movable time measuring indicator having a normal position, a first manually operable means for controlling the movement of said indicator in one direction from said normal position and at a predetermined time measuring speed to an off-normal position, a second manually operable means for initiating the automatic resetting of said indicator to said normal position, and means operable in the resetting of saidindicator formoving the same at a second predetermined `speed in a direction opposite to time measuring direction to a position ahead of said normal position andthereafter at said time measuring speed and -direction to said normal position and stopping the same thereat.

v3. In a game timing apparatus for indicating accuinulatedincrements of time, a rotatable time measuring indicator having a normal position, a driving means for said indicator, a rst means embodying said driving means for rotating said indicator at a predetermined time measuring speed in one-direction during consecutive time increments from said normal position to any one of a plurality of off-normal positions, a second means embodying said driving means for rotating said indicator at a second predetermined speed and in the opposite direction to said time measuring direction from any one of said off-normal positions through said normal position to a predetermined position in advance of said normal position and means automatically operative within predetermined time limits after the rotation of said indicator to said predetermined position for enabling said rst means to rotate said indicator to said normal position.

4. In a game timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator having a normal position, means for moving said indicator in one direction from a normal position at a predetermined speed to indicate accumulated increments of time, means for continuously moving said indicator at a second predetermined speed in opposite direction to said time indicating direction an amount equal to said time indicating movement plus a predetermined amount and means automatically operative thereafter for moving said indicator at said time indicating speed and direction to said normal position.

5. In a game timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator having a normal position, means for rotating said indicator from said normal position to an oli-normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, means for continuously rotating said indicator from said oit-normal position in the opposite direction at a second predetermined speed an amount equal to the rotation in said time indicating direction less the complete revolutions thereof plus a predetermined amount, means for automatically stopping said indicator for at least a predetermined length of time thereafter and means for automatically rotating said indicator at said time indicating speed to said normal position and bringing to a stop thereat.

6. In a game timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator having a normal position, means for rotating said indicator from said normal position to an oit-normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, means for continuosly rotating said indicator from said off-normal position in the opposite direction at a second predetermined speed an normally operating driving means, a planetary gear unitk disposed between said indicator and said driving means for moving said indicator in one direction at a vpredetermined speed, means for releasing a normally stationary member of said planetary unit and means operative on the release of said normally stationary member for moving said time indicator in the opposite direction to said time indicating direction.

8. In a timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator movable from a normal position to indicate acciu'nulated increments of time, a normally operating driving means, a planetary gear unit disposed between said indicator and said driving means for moving said indicator in one direction at a predetermined speed, means for releasing a normally stationary member of said planetari7 unit, means operative on the release of said normally stationary member for moving said time indicator in the opposite direction to said time indicating direction at a higher predetermined speed toY a position ahead of said normal position relative to said time indicating direction of motion, means automatically operative thereafter for reengaging said normally stationary member, moving said indicator at said time indicating speed and direction to said normal position and bringing to a stop thereat.

9. In a timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator movable from a normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time, a normally operating driving means, a clutch and a planetary gear unit disposed between said indicator and said driving means, means for controlling said clutch to cluch said indicator to said driving means to move said indicator in one direction at a predetermined speed, means for releasing a normally stationary element of said planetary gear unit, means for simultaneously operating said clutch and releasing said normally stationary element, means operative thereafter to move said indicator at a second predetermined speed in a direction opposite to said time indicating direction.

l0. In a timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator movable from a normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time, a normally operating driving means, means comprising a planetary gear unit disposed between said indicator and said driving means for driving said indicator at a predetermined speed in a time indicating direction and a second means comprising said planetary gear unit for resetting said indicator to said normal position and means whereby said reset operation comprises moving said indicator in a direction opposite to said time indicating direction a variable amount greater than said time indicating movement and then a predetermined amount in said time indicating direction.

11. In a timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator movable from a normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time, a normally operating driving means, means comprising a clutch for positively clutching said driving means to said indicator to move the same in a time indicating direction at a predetermined time indicating speed, frictional means associated with said indicator and driven from said driving means tending to move said indicator in an opposite resetting direction at a second predetermined speed during movement thereof in said time indicating direction and means for disabling said means driving said indicator in said time indicating direction and allowing said friction means to move said indicator in said resetting direction.

12. In a timing apparatus, a time measuring indicator movable from a normal position to indicate accumulated increments of time, a normally operating driving means, l means comprising a gear reduction unit having an appreciable amount of backlash in the gears thereof for driving said indicator in one direction at a predetermined time indicating speed, frictional means driven from said driving means tending to drive said indicator in a` direction opposite to said time indicating direction during movement thereof in said time Y indicating direction, means including said frictional; means for invariably resetting said indicatorto said normal position in a direction opposite to said time indicating direction and at a second predetermined speed. and means for taking up the backlash in said gears during said resetting operation.

13. In a timing aparatus, a 'rotatable time measuring indicator having a normal position,

means for rotating saidV 'indicator from said normal position at a normal time measuring speed to any one of a plurality of off-normal positions, means for arresting the normal time measuring motion of said indicator; means for rotating said indicator at a faster speed to a position a predetermned distance from said normal position and means automatically operative thereafter for rotating said indicator at said time indicating speed of rotation to said normal f 20 ROBERT STEENECK. i 

